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Journalism and cycling

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Comments

  • #92
    Chips Lovell
    Moderators, Politics Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 24,266 Mod ✭✭✭✭Chips Lovell


    The entire point of opinion pieces by writers such as O'Doherty, Kevin Myers, Clarkson etc. is to be provocative and get people riled up.

    If you clicked on it, read it, and got angry, then they've done they're job and the Indo makes its money.


  • #93
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Another Cycling segment coming up on Pat Kenny on Newstalk now. They already had one this morning, and you can imagine the tone when he mentioned earlier they were going to talk about license plates for cyclists.

    Edit: Whoop Whoop! It's Ian O'Doherty discussing it!


  • #94
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    Jep Gambardella wrote: »
    The entire point opinion pieces by writers such as O'Doherty, Kevin Myers, Clarkson etc. is to be provocative and get people riled up.

    If clicked on, read it, and got angry, then they've done they're job and the Indo makes its money.

    You're absolutely right, but I'd argue there's something positive about seeing the majority of responses coming from cyclists. The more coverage the cycling debate gets, the better. Take that Irish Times piece, for example. Pro-cyclist letter responses outnumbered the car driver's response 3 to 1.


  • #95
    AlreadyHome
    Registered Users Posts: 136 ✭✭AlreadyHome


    "I'd be more concerned about being injured by a cyclist in Dublin, than I would be of being injured by a car"

    Ian O'Doherty trumps your statistics with his +5 mouth noise.


  • #96
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    He can be full of ****e on most topics. After having to listen to him I'm sure he's a regular on the various cyclist threads, it was like he was playing bingo with all the cliches he trotted out, motorists pay tax, dangerous cyclists etc etc.


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  • #97
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    The thing about being a cyclist for me anyway is.....

    They all hate us anyway....

    ......why should we care what they think.

    Absolutely no doubt that newspapers/ media have fostered and encouraged this friction between motorists and cyclists.

    I've lost count of the amount of letters and articles I've seen in the Irish Times complaining about cyclists; mostly written by people who haven't been on a bike this century.


  • #98
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Pat Kenny seems to have a few hobby horses. Rather into spirtualist healing flim-flam too, very sympathetic to guests who operate in that area, and is clearly dismissive of climate change too.

    I'm not a regular listener, so perhaps I'm being unfair, but I've heard him show these traits enough to avoid him.


  • #99
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    Another Cycling segment coming up on Pat Kenny on Newstalk now. They already had one this morning, and you can imagine the tone when he mentioned earlier they were going to talk about license plates for cyclists.

    Edit: Whoop Whoop! It's Ian O'Doherty discussing it!

    Nothin personal against Ian O'Doherty.

    Opinion journalism is what he does.

    The issue here is Newstalk....

    ......we are running an opinion section on cyclists. Lets invite this person in who will really put the boot into cyclists......

    The station has the agenda. It will claim to be objective and neutral of course.


  • #100
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    I'm no chicken myself, but I'm amazed at how many of the radio gurus are from my generation. Are there no fit young cyclists who'd be good radio jocks?


  • #101
    gaffmaster
    Registered Users Posts: 716 ✭✭✭gaffmaster


    I think an awful lot of bad or lazy journalism stems from the journalist having to write about something they know little about. So they regurgitate the loudest or most recent piece of information they've heard on the topic in their own words. In the case highlighted very well by the OP, it's the fact that some people on bicycles break red lights sometimes.

    Trends develop. You see this type of thing all the time when football pundits are asked about certain topics. One of them will form an opinion, then the rest will copy it until it's a fact. A lot of the time it's nonsense.


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  • #102
    Weepsie
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 19,817 Mod ✭✭✭✭Weepsie


    Newstalk and the indo share the same owner and much of the same journalistic output (there are some exceptions of course)

    It would stand to reason they'd get Ian O'Doherty rather than someone reliably independent


  • #103
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Ironically the most reasoned voice you hear on Newstalk when it comes to cycling is Conor Faughnan.


  • #104
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    gaffmaster wrote: »
    I think an awful lot of bad or lazy journalism stems from the journalist having to write about something they know little about. So they regurgitate the loudest or most recent piece of information they've heard on the topic in their own words. In the case highlighted very well by the OP, it's the fact that some people on bicycles break red lights sometimes.

    Trends develop. You see this type of thing all the time when football pundits are asked about certain topics. One of them will form an opinion, then the rest will copy it until it's a fact. A lot of the time it's nonsense.

    This is so true! I remember being thanked effusively years ago by John McGahern for a book review I'd written - it was the first review out, and he said all the later reviewers would read that and follow on. As they did!
    Tombo2001 wrote: »
    Nothin personal against Ian O'Doherty.

    Opinion journalism is what he does.

    The issue here is Newstalk....

    ......we are running an opinion section on cyclists. Lets invite this person in who will really put the boot into cyclists......

    The station has the agenda. It will claim to be objective and neutral of course.

    I think it's actually policy for Newstalk to use Indo journalists for quotes and vice versa - vaguely remember that journalists were getting training with the purpose that they'd be used on radio shows, so that there'd be feedback between listenership and readership.


  • #105
    Pinch Flat
    Registered Users Posts: 7,761 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    Ironically the most reasoned voice you hear on Newstalk when it comes to cycling is Conor Faughnan.

    I've worked with the guy, he's actually a keen cyclist and commutes daily by bike. He reckons you'd be crazy to drive in Dublin :pac:


  • #106
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Yip, I've heard him more than once advocate the bike for getting around Dublin. Matt Cooper is another reasonable voice when it comes to cycling that you'd hear on the radio.


  • #107
    Tombo2001
    Registered Users Posts: 6,467 ✭✭✭Tombo2001


    Chuchote wrote: »
    This is so true! I remember being thanked effusively years ago by John McGahern for a book review I'd written - it was the first review out, and he said all the later reviewers would read that and follow on. As they did!



    I think it's actually policy for Newstalk to use Indo journalists for quotes and vice versa - vaguely remember that journalists were getting training with the purpose that they'd be used on radio shows, so that there'd be feedback between listenership and readership.

    Yep, and I've no doubt the Indo has a journalist who covers Tour De France and so on, and probably knows a lot more about cycling in Dublin than Ian O'Doherty.

    Did they get that guy?

    Picking an Indo journalist doesn't per se show an agenda.

    Picking Ian O'Doherty does show an agenda.


  • #108
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    Tis true, but the agenda is more likely to be "that fella could talk the hind leg off an ass; the sports journo is a nice shy guy who writes well but isn't so fluent talking". Dunno if either of these are true, but conjecturing…


  • #109
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Deedsie wrote: »
    I think you are being slightly unfair. I listen to him most days and find him excellent. He is welcoming and mannerly to all guests. Can come across as him siding with them on a debate but he is fairly balanced for the most part.

    I've formed an opinion of him over many years, but it's based only on fragments, as I don't especially like his style and only over-hear him in waiting rooms and shops and the like.

    Most passionate I heard him in all these fragments was about speed limits on the Stillorgan dual carriageway.

    Most unctuously in agreement: somebody promoting an unscientific medical treatment. Possibly this person.

    Numerous dismissals of the clear orthodoxy in climate change.

    I wasn't surprised to hear he ran with this latest segment.


  • #110
    NiallBoo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭NiallBoo


    Chuchote wrote: »
    I'm no chicken myself, but I'm amazed at how many of the radio gurus are from my generation. Are there no fit young cyclists who'd be good radio jocks?

    Doesn't fit the narrative does it?

    The listeners won't accept ranting and raving from a younger person, they'd much rather blame the 'soft generation of spineless young scroungers'

    "EERROUGGHHJ...now as I was taught by the Christian brothers back when I was a wee nipper. He said, 'George, times are changing; you can't put gypsies in camps like the good old days, but at least you can still run over push-bikes and immigrants with your motor-carriage.' And rightly so, just as god and Michael Collins intended. "


  • #111
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    FFS, Ciaran Cuffe will be on with head troll George Hook now to talk about cyclists and how "they are planning on closing the quays down to motorists".

    Newstalk has a problem.


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  • #112
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    FFS, Ciaran Cuffe will be on with head troll George Hook now to talk about cyclists and how "they are planning on closing the quays down to motorists".

    Newstalk has a problem.

    I hope Ciaran asks George (in reply to "Red lights whuffle whuffle rage" if he uses the phone in his car ;)


  • #113
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Well a judge previously classed him as being close to being a serial traffic offender based on the number of road traffic convictions he has so I'm sure he does.


  • #114
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    ThisRegard wrote: »
    Well a judge previously classed him as being close to being a serial traffic offender based on the number of road traffic convictions he has so I'm sure he does.

    Good distraction to call him on those - if Ciaran could bring in a series of reports of George's driving…


  • #115
    Snickers Man
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭Snickers Man


    Chuchote wrote: »
    If lawbreaking has an impact on sentiment, ok, let's start posting photos and videos of drivers using mobile phones, zipping through lights after they've turned red, whipping right around no-right-turn turns, close-passing cyclists, speeding, parking in cycle lanes, failing to indicate in time or at all, <snip>


    Start??

    You mean you've never heard of CycleDub??

    Worth clicking on some of the videos just to hear the grating whiny drawl. He sounds like a male Joan Burton.


  • #116
    tomasrojo
    Registered Users Posts: 11,741 ✭✭✭✭tomasrojo


    Chuchote wrote: »
    Good distraction to call him on those - if Ciaran could bring in a series of reports of George's driving…

    He'd probably be better talking about the benefits for everyone of the new Liffey route, especially pedestrians.

    Also, cars are being re-routed, not banned.

    EDIT: ... re-routed for 450m. And public transport users will benefit too. So, most city-centre frequenters will be better off.


  • #117
    Chuchote
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭Chuchote


    Snickers Man wrote: »
    Start??

    You mean you've never heard of CycleDub??

    Oh lordy, I have seen some of those. They arouse the inner George Hook in me!


  • #118
    NiallBoo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭NiallBoo


    Chuchote wrote: »
    Oh lordy, I have seen some of those. They arouse the inner George Hook in me!

    It's the voice - he could be asking you to marry him and it would still sound like disgruntled complaint.


  • #119
    Moflojo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,006 ✭✭✭Moflojo


    Here's a podcast Newstalk made about the protest on Monday. It's unbelievable, makes it sound like everyone at the protest was on the brink of being killed at any moment. The protest was so easy-going and jovial.

    http://www.newstalk.com/podcasts/Newstalk_Drive/Henry_McKean_on_Drive/160418/Henry_rides_a_bike_to_find_out_why_cyclists_want_EUR1BN

    "It was so scary!"

    "Ooh, this feels a bit lethal..."

    "A pedestrian just walked out in front of me!"


  • #120
    Roadhawk
    Registered Users Posts: 935 ✭✭✭Roadhawk


    Moflojo wrote: »
    It's unbelievable, makes it sound like everyone at the protest was on the brink of being killed at any moment.

    Thats a bit dramatic. I think it outlined the regular dangers faced by cyclists in Dublin because of the lack of good infrastructure.


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  • #121
    Moflojo
    Registered Users Posts: 1,006 ✭✭✭Moflojo


    Roadhawk wrote: »
    Thats a bit dramatic. I think it outlined the regular dangers faced by cyclists in Dublin because of the lack of good infrastructure.

    I thought it made us (cyclists) sound like a bunch of loons for even considering cycling in the city. It makes me think of the following:

    First they ignore you. [Check]

    Then they laugh at (ridicule) you. [Check]

    Then they fight you. [Coming Soon]

    Then you win. [Hopefully?]


This discussion has been closed.
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